“What is all this, dear Winny?” inquired
Thames, as soon as they were alone.

“Nothing—­nothing,” she answered,
bursting into tears. “Don’t ask me
about it now.”

“Winny,” said Thames, tenderly, “something
which that self-sufficient fool has said has so far
done me a service in enabling me to speak upon a subject
which I have long had upon my lips, but have not had
courage to utter.”

“Thames!”

“You seem to doubt my love,” he continued,—­“you
seem to think that change of circumstances may produce
some change in my affections. Hear me then, now,
before I take one step to establish my origin, or secure
my rights. Whatever those rights may be, whoever
I am, my heart is yours. Do you accept it?”

“It is—­it is; and has ever been,”
replied Winifred, falling upon his neck.

Lovers’ confidences should be respected.
We close the chapter.

CHAPTER VII.

Jack Sheppard warns Thames Darrell.

On the following night—­namely Monday,—­the
family assembled together, for the first time since
the fatal event, in the chamber to which Thames had
been introduced on his arrival at Dollis Hill.
As this had been Mrs. Wood’s favourite sitting-room,
and her image was so intimately associated with it,
neither the carpenter nor his daughter could muster
courage to enter it before. Determined, however,
to conquer the feeling as soon as possible, Wood had
given orders to have the evening meal served there;
but, notwithstanding all his good resolutions upon
his first entrance, he had much ado to maintain his
self-command. His wife’s portrait had been
removed from the walls, and the place it had occupied
was only to be known by the cord by which it had been
suspended. The very blank, however, affected
him more deeply than if it had been left. Then
a handkerchief was thrown over the cage, to prevent
the bird from singing; it was her favourite
canary. The flowers upon the mantel-shelf were
withered and drooping—­she had gathered
them. All these circumstances,—­slight
in themselves, but powerful in their effect,—­touched
the heart of the widowed carpenter, and added to his
depression.